MJBHA Goes Green

MJBHA takes environmentally friendly step by investing in Wind Energy ROCKVILLE, Md (January 15, 2009) – In an effort to reduce dangerous gas emissions and reduce costs, the Melvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy has contracted with a local business to switch to 10 percent wind power.

With the purchase of wind power, MJBHA becomes the first of the major DC area Jewish day schools to make a significant step in the direction of environmental activism.

Clean Currents, LLC, a DC area clean energy business, today announced that it has successfully brokered an arrangement for the Melvin J.

Berman Hebrew Academy in Rockville, Maryland to switch to 10 percent wind power in an effort to reduce dangerous greenhouse gas emissions and to encourage energy independence. It's the first wind energy purchase by one of the major DC area Jewish Day Schools.

"The Berman Hebrew Academy is taking a serious step forward in efforts to protect the environment through its clean energy purchase," said Gary Skulnik, president of Clean Currents LLC, the DC area clean energy business with which MJBHA has contracted. "Other Jewish organizations should seriously consider taking action to follow MJBHA's leadership."

By taking this step, MJBHA is now eligible to enter the U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency’s Green Power Partnership. There are currently no Jewish day schools in the entire country on this list.

"We are always looking for ways to decrease our carbon footprint and become more environmentally friendly. It is critical for our planet, but events in the last years have also shown that it is vitally important to reduce our dependence on foreign oil,” said MJBHA Headmaster Joshua Levisohn. “We are happy to do our part and it certainly doesn't hurt that we are also saving money on our electric bill by going with Clean Currents."

The purchase will offset more than 2 million pounds of carbon, the main greenhouse gas causing climate change. That's equivalent to taking 142 cars off the road.